Farming is hard work, especially in the 21st century. It’s believed that the traditional family farm is being wiped out. It’s clear that the average farmer’s wages have gone down massively in the past few decades. But that doesn’t mean you can’t push forward.

Farmers today often make the mistake of failing to adapt to new business practices. Family farms aren’t relied upon for produce the way they were in the past. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make yours profitable. There are many different methods you can use to profit more from your farm. You need to be willing to be proactive and innovative, but it’ll pay off. Here are some ideas.

Start Using Ecommerce

Ecommerce is one of the fastest growing industries. People all over the world are starting to use the internet to buy, well, practically everything. It’s brought a rise to many unique online shops. With some smart marketing, you can sell all sorts of novelty goods and products on the internet.

It’s great news for farmers. Many farms have adapted to this by selling organic produce over the web. After all, you can reach far more people than you can with a traditional farmers market. You might want to start delivering eggs to people. Or perhaps you can sell them fresh, organic vegetables.

You might need to get in touch with courier services to help you. It’s best to deliver produce in refrigerated vans. You could also try wholesaling to retailers online. With the use of the internet and ecommerce solutions, you can make much more profit.

Interest in renewable energy is growing rapidly worldwide. Governments are investing billions into renewable sources. More countries are looking toward a 100% renewable energy future. Global events such as Mexico's Renewable Energy Conference see many companies show up to learn more.

Hiring out land for renewable energy purposes is a fantastic way to use your farm. Not only will you make money, but you’ll also be helping a greater cause. You can also source your own electricity using renewable methods. It’s much cheaper than traditional forms.

Add A Restaurant And Gift Shop

Many farms profit by making themselves open to the public. People in the area might like the novelty of visiting a farm and seeing what’s on offer. If you add a couple of buildings, there are a few ways you can profit.

You might want to add a restaurant to your farm. You can offer up meals using homegrown produce. Many people love to eat organically. They’ll pay good money for a nice, old-fashioned, farm-cooked meal.

You could also add a gift shop for people who come to your farm. You could offer keyrings, stuffed animals, and even pet products. It can work to great effect if you host children’s birthday parties. Many parents love to take kids to the farm to see the animals. They’ll be happy to buy a souvenir on the way out.

Better Farm

Coming home to roost.

Monday mornings with Finnegan. ❤️

Queen.

Kobayashi Maru, patron saint of Better Farm, maxing in a patch of tall grass on a perfectly sunny day.

GREAT day for a ride!

So inspiring to be part of this evening’s Health and Wellness Fair at LaFargeville Central School, where students are on the cutting edge of sustainable practices with on-site vertical gardens, Brita Hydration Stations in the hallways, dual-flush toilets in the bathrooms, solar panels and wind turbines providing power, and rubber-rolled roofing reflecting sunlight off the building. And that’s just the beginning! These folks have earned their Silver LEED certification and it was a pleasure to make art and plant garlic with so many exceptional humans. 🙌🏼

Sunday brunchin’

Mighty productive Saturday morning as we raze an old shed and rescue a 19th-century stone wall from Better Farm’s original barn. Stay tuned...

Each year, we commit to adding at least 100 trees on Better Farm’s property, with 2018 marking our 800th tree going into the ground. We’re celebrating with 50 white spruces, a dozen or so fruit trees, several hardwoods, flowering beauties like peony trees and hydrangeas, and a slew of willows. The baby spruces arrived today and are taking a soak before being tucked into their new homes.

Repost from @habituallyhaley — Sunday funday hangs in the yoga trapeze at @betterfarm

Big thanks to SUNY ESF’s Society for Ecological Restoration group for helping to install this living wall in one of the bathrooms at Better Farm. Bathrooms, with all their steam and moisture, are perfect places for living wall installations featuring vines, spider plants and succulents.

Students from SUNY-ESF’s Society for Ecological Restoration have officially infiltrated Better Farm for a weekend of unwinding, team building, family meals, seed starting and a little heavy lifting.

Happy Easter!

Origami farm.

Aquaponic fish hard at work. The fish we raise in our aquaponics system are cast aways from fairs, given to us by folks who no longer want them, or are minnows left over from fishermen’s lake excursions. Every spring, we release several of the biggest fish into a pond on the property so they can enjoy a cushy retirement with tons of space and adventures. Our way of saying thanks for them helping us grow tasty greens all year long. 🐟